Want To Become A Better Golfer? Collin Morikawa’s 5 Tips To Shoot Lower Scores
Fresh from his third place finish at The Masters, we bring you five top golf tips from two-time Major Champion, Collin Morikawa...
Collin Morikawa had a very impressive week at The Masters, finishing tied third after a tough battle with eventual Green Jacket winner Scottie Scheffler in the final group. Despite falling away in the final nine holes, as a result of two untimely double bogeys at the turn, Morikawa arguably defied expectations.
Arriving at Augusta National, the two-time Major winner had been on a disappointing run by his standards, but the class he possesses was bound to resurface eventually. Morikawa finished the week ranking in the top-7 for Strokes Gained (SG): Tee to green, SG: Approach and SG: Putting – emphasising how good his all-round play was!
Combine that with ranking in the top-3 for greens in regulation and driving accuracy, it quickly becomes clear that we could all learn a thing or two from one of the best ball strikers on the planet... right?
As luck would have it, we sat down with Morikawa and asked him to share five top tips that can help you become a better golfer...
1. Playing Shots In The Wind
Hitting golf shots in the wind is all about spin control. The harder you swing, the more the ball spins. The more the ball spins, the more it’s going to take the wind. So when you hear people using that classic phrase ‘when it’s breezy, swing it easy’, they’re really telling the truth. It’s something all golfers need to remember in those conditions.
To help take some spin off the ball and keep it down in the wind, I like to picture myself swinging really flat and almost putting topspin on the ball. That’s a great feeling I like to have in my swing hitting into the wind. If I can hit a low, medium and high ball flight with most of my clubs, I can go out and play in any amount of wind because I can control the spin in that way. Practising hitting clubs with high, mid and low ball flights is another great way to prepare for playing in the wind.
2. Rotation In The Golf Swing
For my iron striking in particular, it’s all about rotation. I like doing half swings and punch shots as these teach me to sync up my body and focus on making really good contact with the ball.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
When you’re practising with a full swing there can be too much going on in your head, whereas punch shots and half swings really force you to focus on impact and getting through the golf ball correctly. Drilling rotation and contact in before transitioning back to a full swing should see you striking the ball a little more purely.
3. Distance Control
It doesn’t matter how well or how badly you hit the ball, if you know how far each club in the bag is carrying, that’s one of the best things you can do for your game. Lots of people like to assume their yardages, or just assume a wedge goes ‘roughly 100 yards’ or something like that, when in reality it’s vital to spend a session or two working out to the exact yard how far each club carries through the air.
To take that up another level, it can be really useful to understand how far a low strike with each club goes, or how far a draw and a fade go with each club. Going into a round of golf armed with this information is essential and something not enough golfers do.
4. Putting Mirrors
I think a lot more golfers need to go out and get a mirror to help with their putting. I don’t think a lot of golfers know exactly where their eyeline is when they’re standing over a putt, and if it’s too far in front or too far behind, that can start to cause a lot of problems.
Standing over one of those putting mirrors on the practice green allows you to check where your eyeline is and start to build muscle memory and the correct feeling for where your head needs to be over the putt. From there, you can start to drill the correct position and build a solid, consistent base on which to start holing more putts.
5. Positive Final Thoughts
I’m out here in Maui right now on the Bay course at Kapalua. We’re right by the ocean and golf holes with water can get intimidating for a lot of golfers who can’t get the water or other hazards out of their mind. On courses where there might be lots of water or lots of bunkers, I think it’s absolutely okay to think about those hazards and acknowledge them before you hit your shot.
However, I always think it’s best to have a final thought before you swing, asking yourself, ‘What does my best shot look like right now?’ This is a much better mindset to have before you swing. It’s not like you completely take out your surroundings and the challenge of the shot ahead, but I think it’s really useful to have that final thought ending on something that is good and positive. From there, hopefully you can execute that best possible shot once you’ve imagined it.
Dan has been with Golf Monthly team since 2021. He graduated with a Masters degree in International Journalism from the University of Sussex and looks after equipment reviews and buying guides, specializing in golf shoe, golf bag, golf cart and apparel reviews. Dan has now tested and reviewed over 30 pairs of golf shoes and is an expert in the field. A left-handed golfer, his handicap index is currently 6.5 and he plays at Fulford Heath Golf Club in the West Midlands.
Dan's current clubs:
Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2
Fairway: TaylorMade Stealth 2 15°
Hybrid: Ping G425
Irons: Cobra King Tec Utility, Ping i230 (5-PW)
Wedges: Ping Glide Forged Pro
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour X
Ball: Titleist AVX
- Barry PlummerStaff Writer
-
Jon Rahm Calls For Links Event To Be Added To LIV Golf Schedule
The Legion XIII captain has told Golf Digest a links event immediately before The Open would offer the ideal preparation for LIV Golf players
By Mike Hall Published
-
How One UK Golfer Defied The Odds To Set A New World Record...
The incredible story of how Steven Dashevsky broke the world record for playing one round of golf on all six continents in the shortest period of time
By Mark Townsend Published
-
Drive It Like McIlroy And Strike It Like Scheffler – Learn From The Best Golfers In The World With These 6 Pro Tips
The best golfers in the world often make the game look easy, when we all know it isn't, so how can we learn from them? These 6 pro tips are a great place to start...
By Norman Marshall Published
-
Salvage Your Golf Swing With 5 Tips From A Resurgent Major Champion
Re-discovering your best golf after a lull is never easy, but there are certain pro-active steps you can take. These 5 expert tips are a great place to start...
By Garrett Johnston Published
-
This Simple Transition Drill Could Rapidly Improve Your Golf Swing
This straightforward rehearsal, shared by Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Tom Motley, will improve the transition in your golf swing and produce better ball striking
By Tom Motley Published
-
5 Engaging Putting Games To Banish Boredom On The Practice Green
Putting practice is often neglected by amateurs, perhaps because it can be dull without the right structure, so try these 5 games to spice things up a little...
By Katie Dawkins Published
-
6 Shrewd Steps To Becoming A More Consistent Golfer
These 6 shrewd steps, shared by a 13-time tour winner and LIV Golf professional, will help to make you more consistent on the golf course...
By Evin Priest Published
-
Sergio Garcia Reveals How To Play The 2 Show-Stopping Short Game Shots That Helped Him Win The Masters
Want to know how Sergio Garcia performs his wedge game wizardry? The former Masters Champion shares his tips on how to sharpen up your short game...
By Neil Tappin Published
-
How To Prepare The Night Before A Competition: 4 Expert Tips And Drills To Help You Play Your Best Golf
Got time to squeeze in one last practice before the big competition? Our expert's four tips and drills will help you to play your best golf when it matters...
By Alistair Davies Published
-
Add Versatility To Your Sand Escapes With These 4 Brilliant Bunker Drills
There are many different ways to get out of a bunker, so having a range of shots in your repertoire is a great way to save par more consistently from the sand
By John Jacobs Published